Malnutrition is having a devastating effect on the lives of thousands of children living in the developing countries of the world. When these growing boys and girls do not receive proper nutrition over a prolonged period of time, they experience arrested cognitive, physical and social development, and after the age of 5, those effects cannot be reversed.
Adults are also suffering as a result of this hunger crisis, and many have become too weak or too sick to work a steady job or otherwise improve their situations. That’s why we are deeply grateful to the faithful U.S. Catholics who have joined our efforts to provide relief and hope to the hungry and suffering we serve around the globe.
In the past year alone, Cross Catholic Outreach supporters helped send Vitafood to 20 ministry partners in 14 countries, blessing 32,578,014 needy families with both practical aid and the spiritual sustenance our in-country Catholic ministry partners can provide. More than 37 million Vitafood meals were distributed, each meal scientifically formulated with a blend of protein, vitamins and nutrients to improve health. When families receive this food, it frees up their limited resources, allowing them to see to other needs such as obtaining medicines, making house repairs and ensuring their children receive an education.
Our loving Lord continues to bless the poor and meet their urgent needs through the generosity of faithful U.S. Catholics. The support of feeding programs is particularly important because hunger has become a more serious issue in recent years. Thanks to compassionate Catholics, we were able to send three containers of Vitafood to the Diocese of Karonga to feed hungry families — that’s 782,280 meals!
Bishop Martin Mtumbuka explained that Malawi does not have a social welfare system and that local families are constantly searching for sustenance. It had been common for families to live with hunger, especially if their homegrown crops failed or their small home-based businesses began to struggle.
“Sometimes people collapse at Mass,” the bishop said. “And we feel maybe they have malaria, only to be told that they have not eaten for the last three days because everything they had they gave to their children.”
The nutrition outreach expands the diocese’s works of mercy in the community that have already brought clean water, health care, agricultural and business training, and spiritual nourishment to rural villages.
“These families and these communities will be more vibrant,” Bishop Mtumbuka said. As this transformation occurs, villagers are determined to give glory to God. To attend Mass, some villagers walk the entire day on Saturday, find a place to sleep at night, and then walk more on Sunday to arrive at a local chapel, the bishop said. And what a celebration each Mass is!
“The enthusiasm and dynamism of the faithful of Karonga is enormous,” he said. “You can feel it, and you can see it.” You can read more about the hunger crisis in Malawi here.
Together, we can share Christ’s hope with the hungry. Every year, Cross Catholic Outreach partners with parishes through food packing events meant to inform parishioners about the plight of the poor and bring families together through service. This community event allows U.S. Catholics to prepare Vitafood meals for hungry children and their families in developing countries.
Help meet the need of God’s precious children by providing life-saving meals! Learn more about how you can host, sponsor or volunteer at a food packing event.
Donations from this campaign will be used to cover any expenditures for this project incurred through June 30, 2027, the close of our ministry’s fiscal year. In the event that more funds are raised than needed to fully fund the project, the excess funds, if any, will be used to meet the most urgent needs of the ministry.
